Daytona Beach - Definition and Overview

Daytona Beach is a city located in Volusia County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 64,112.

A Daytona Beach Bar

The wide smooth sands of Daytona Beach were open to drivers for many years and also used for high-speed testing and racing of cars. This made the beach a mecca for racing enthusiasts and the city is now the site of the Daytona International Speedway (a conventional racetrack, which replaced the famous beach course in 1959). Close to the Speedway and adjacent to the Daytona Beach International Airport is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

The city is a popular vacation destination, especially for college students on spring break. Today auto driving and parking is still allowed on certain sections of the beach. There is a wide variety of accommodations in all price ranges. Rooms are typically plentiful except for those weeks when the racing or motorcycle special events are in town.

History

Daytona Beach was named for its founder, Matthias Day. Daytona was incorporated in 1876. The towns of Daytona, Daytona Beach and Seabreeze combined to form Daytona Beach in 1926.

Daytona Beach was the birthplace of musical theater writer Robert Wright.

On March 8, 1936 the first stock car race was held here. The Speedway complex is now the site of the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame.

Daytona Beach was the setting for the 2003 movie Monster, portraying the life and crimes of serial killer, and Daytona resident, Aileen Wuornos (and winning its star, Charlize Theron, an Oscar).

Geography

Daytona Beach is located at 29°12'26" North, 81°2'16" West (29.207309, -81.037900)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 168.2 km² (64.9 mi²). 152.0 km² (58.7 mi²) of it is land and 16.2 km² (6.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 9.63% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 64,112 people, 28,605 households, and 13,844 families residing in the city. The population density is 421.8/km² (1,092.6/mi²). There are 33,345 housing units at an average density of 219.4/km² (568.3/mi²). The racial line.

External links

• City of Daytona Beach (http://www.ci.daytona-beach.fl.us/) official site
• Maps and aerial photos
  • Street map from Mapquest (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=29.207309&longitude=-81.0379&zoom=6)
  • Topographic map from Topozone (http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=29.207309&lon=-81.0379&s=200&size=m&layer=DRG100)
  • Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver (http://terraserver.microsoft.com/map.aspx?t=1&s=14&lon=-81.0379&lat=29.207309&w=750&h=500)